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House Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Friend, Indiana

House Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Friend, Indiana

Indiana House Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Friend is a pig farmer. In 2012, the Republican helped pass a bill awarding attorney’s fees to any farm dealing with a “frivolous” nuisance lawsuit — a law that animal rights advocates worried would discourage neighbors who otherwise might sue polluting farms.

“The law does not uniquely benefit me personally or my business, and does not present a conflict of interest,” he said. “I put a high premium on integrity and transparency, and that’s why I have a record of supporting efforts to strengthen disclosure laws and protecting the public trust through updating Indiana’s ethics laws.”